Stories from Taiwan

A promising start Young is a woman we met at the park. She had no previous knowledge of Christ. After much hesitation, she started attending our mother’s group and a class on interpersonal communication. She soon believed, was baptized, and became a fervent member of our church. After four years of evangelism, we finally had [...]

One of the most common recreations in Taiwan is going to the night market. There are at least two types of night markets around. One kind has mostly food, clothing and other kinds of shopping. The other kind of night market has also includes a lot of games for both kids and adults alike. Our [...]

Our missionaries are a big investment. It costs money for them to fly to Taiwan, to move things here, to learn the language and culture, to look after their health, to educate their children, enabling their ministries and assisting them to stay here and share God’s love with the Taiwanese people. Sometimes we can be [...]

Before coming to Taiwan, we remember reading a missionary's experience of Gua sha (aka coining): "Excruciating (she would prefer childbirth!). The skin is left with red marks and bruising which fades after a few days but the treatment has proven very effective.” This is a popular treatment for ailments in Taiwan, but Hiwin never thought [...]

It was a rainy, gloomy Sunday morning. We cleaned up our living room and set up some chairs. In faith, we anticipated one, perhaps two families to come and gather for the Puxin house church service. “What if no one, not one single person, came to church?” This was no longer just a thought provoking [...]

Our four short term workers (Serve Asia Workers - SAW) have worked with us for almost two weeks. As part of cultural learning, we are bringing them to a temple visit. 2:30pm Our SAW team arrives to the Temple of the Jaded World. Six groups of people are already here in the open front court, [...]

We wish we learned earlier the importance of having a working relationship with a school's counselling department, and being able to gain wisdom from them. Role of school counselor Since coming to Puxin, we wanted to reach families. Most of the parents and the communities (and even churches) are often primarily concerned for their children's [...]

One of the most surprising things I’ve seen in a tea shop (a place where men drink tea or alcohol with hostesses) is this god statue. Zhu Bajie (猪八戒) is a major character in the novel Journey to the West. Zhu means "swine". In many English versions of the story, Zhu Bajie is called "Pigsy" or "Pig". [...]

‘Kye’ is an indigenous boy from the west coast of Taiwan. Kye loves singing and writing songs. However, the Reform School is not a place to practice this hobby. Kye has 10 younger siblings and his dad has other children as well. Both parents have done time in jail. He’s actually only seen his dad […]

Many women who come to the Pearl Family Garden buy the lottery. They are always trying to figure out a “pattern” in the winning combination or their “lucky” numbers for the week. Sometimes, they are inspired by dreams. Just as in ancient Middle Eastern culture, dreams are an important part of Chinese culture. Spring Lotus [...]

We've had Taiwanese opera classes at the Pearl Family Garden center for two to three years now. In the beginning, we only had group performances and the ladies performed sitting down. This year, we had individual performances. The singers moved around on stage, learnt elaborate gestures and put on traditional costumes. These classes are made [...]

Choo has been a regular at the Pearl Family Garden since the beginning. Her whereabouts are often a mystery, sometimes she slept rough, other times she found shelter with acquaintances. Over the years, she's disappeared suddenly for months at a time and then returned. Choo makes the beaded crosses that we sell as ornaments. She [...]

My mum believed in the virtues of gathering around a table during meal times with no distractions. That meant no books, no rubik's cubes, no electronic games, and especially NO television.   TV and dining in Taiwan Upon coming to Taiwan, I soon discovered that televisions are very much a part of the dine-in experience. [...]

During Ghost Month in Taiwan, it’s believed the gates of hell open and the spirits come out and wander, looking for food to eat and mischief to cause. For the many Taiwanese who follow the traditional religions, one of the main activities happens on the 15th day of the Ghost Month, known as Pudu. Normally, [...]

The Hungry Ghost Festival starts in Taiwan on Thursday. In Ghost Month, the seventh month of the lunar calendar, it's believed the spirits of ancestors who aren't fully provided for in the spirit world roam the earth looking for food and resources. It's also believed they have the power to harm those who don't provide [...]

August, the seventh month of the lunar calendar is called “Ghost Month” in Taiwan. To understand what this month is about, it’s good to start with understanding the worldview of spirituality in Taiwan. For those who believe and practice traditional Taiwanese religions, the spirit world consists of three types of beings: 1. gods - highly [...]

After two years in our little village we knew it was time to leave. We were living in a Taiwanese style row house and my knees were feeling the strain of too many stairs. Water leakage was also a common problem in our home. We would be moving about 15 minutes away to an apartment [...]

One thing that has been surprising about uni student ministry in Chiayi is the number of young Christian men who want to grow in their knowledge of the Word and their love of Jesus. After starting a student fellowship meeting in October 2018 in the coffee shop, we began to meet with interested students for […]

Since we began ministry in Taiwan in 2000, our focus has been on unreached people. In particular we try to reach Taiwan’s working class, especially in Taiwan’s rural areas. Despite being the majority of the population, the working class are less than 1% Christian. Additionally, in some rural areas, one would be hard pressed to […]

Rural areas of Taiwan, in general tend to be quite traditional in adhering to religious norms. Recently, our Taiwanese co-workers, Jordan and Bella experienced some difficult challenges. New baby The first one was the sex of their new baby. While pregnant, people asked Bella if she was having a son or daughter. When she responded [...]

The 7th month of the lunar calendar is Ghost Month (this year, it is August 1-29). It is believed that the gates of hell are opened for the spirits to wander the earth. They eat their fill of food offered to them by the living. It is a time of gatherings, worship, and things to […]

We are in constant awe of Taiwanese co-workers, Jordan and Bella. They have been serving part-time in an OMF church plant in Zhongpu. This was to see if they would be a good fit to pastor the church when the missionaries move on. Even though  the church is not yet fully independent financially yet, they […]

Jenny is a 23 year old single girl living in Taiping with her family. She has been working at various factories ever since she graduated from high school. When we met her, she was 18 years old. Jenny comes from a working class family and has three younger siblings. Her father is a massage therapist, [...]

Growing up near the coast in a Western country, I often went fishing. We would hook live shrimp as bait to catch salt-water fish. Never did I think that I would one day use a smaller fishing pole and tiny hooks to catch shrimp! In our community in central Taiwan is a shrimp fishing place. [...]

We have often been with Taiwanese friends where both Mandarin and Taiwanese are used interchangeably. One sentence is spoken in Mandarin, followed by another sentence in Taiwanese. Or, a sentence may begin in Taiwanese and then finish in Mandarin. The people in central Taiwan where we serve are functionally bi-lingual. That is, they speak both [...]

The seventh month of the lunar calendar is called “Ghost Month” in Taiwan. In Taiwanese folk religion, the spirit world consists of three types of beings: gods, ancestors, and ghosts. The gods are the highly respected and powerful spiritual beings. Ancestors are family members who have already died. They require living relatives to offer ongoing [...]

My Taiwanese friend, Jane*, is a devout Buddhist. I remember a class in high school on Buddhism, learning the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path and words like enlightenment, nirvana and karma. But high school was a long time ago and I was curious as to exactly what my friend believed. So I asked Jane [...]

In Taiwan, there are numerous temples and all kinds of gods. Each god has a specific purpose and power. As new missionaries with OMF in Taiwan, we recently visited a temple that is dedicated to health and Baosheng Dadi, a medicine god. This god was a doctor during China’s Song dynasty. I call this temple [...]

Arriving My Taiwanese friend kindly invited me to her mother’s family’s home for the second day of the new lunar year. This is a day when women traditionally visit their family. The major event is a meal celebrating the new year. On reaching the house, I realised this wasn’t going to be an inside meal [...]

I have been working as a language teacher for nearly twenty years in Taiwan. I love my job and I’m much obliged to all the language students of mine, especially the dear missionaries from OMF. The OMF missionaries spend the beginning of their time in Taiwan learning the languages. How blessed I am to meet [...]

Paul & Abbie Brooks with their baby daughter have been living in the small coastal town of Linbian since Oct 18. By God’s grace they are seeking to church plant in this area. They have made good relationships with people nearby to their apartment complex. The ‘hair salon sisters’ downstairs introduced them to a pastor […]

Chinese New Year is a time for families to be together. For communities to come together. And Christian community can be attractive at this time of year, especially for people on the edges of society. OMF missionary Tera Van Twillert and Taiwanese Christian co-workers began visiting women who were involved in prostitution in Wanhua, Taipei [...]

(read Part 1 and Part 2) A challenge The whole thing was a challenge. Like the average person, the way I communicate with locals is often not very smooth. I make one phone call, realised I've left out something important, and had to make another phone call back to back with the same person. And [...]

(Read Part 1: What does partnership with the local church entail? Read Part 3: What have been your biggest challenges and blessings in partnership?) Prayer and Decision making In the case of the potential partnership with the Evangelical Formosan Church pastor (see part 1), we prayed with our team mates Lizzy and Cheryl quite desperately. [...]

(read Part 2: What have been some of the keys to making your partnership work? read Part 3: What have been your biggest challenges and blessings in partnership?) Partnership through community connections We have different kinds of partnerships with churches. One of our closer partners is a Presbyterian church from our nearby city. How did [...]

Synopsis: From his experiences in church planting in southern Taiwan, Thomas shares personal lessons about partnering with the local church. Lessons include working with partners in humility, “knowing what is essential and what is not,” and adopting a model of church that makes sense to the local people. Thomas McIntyre Thomas is a missionary with OMF [...]

A tough year for the Sanhe team “I have not seen a team that has gone through so many trials as your team.” That was the comment from our field medical advisor at our health check over the past summer. The previous September, the Sanhe team started our first Sunday service after a long journey [...]

God’s name is glorified when we accord equal value to each other and work with mutual respect.

A moms' group begins? “They’re just coming for the free childcare and maybe the free air conditioning,” is what I think to myself. Tuesday mornings from 10 to 11:30 is the mom’s group at the OMF Hope Center in Wanhua. The neighbors might think that it’s just a place for tiny toddlers to run wild. [...]

It happened in our first week living in Luman village. Four locals were in our house – arguing with each other. They are using terms that we have never learnt, at a speed that our ears could not follow. The four of them were two married couples. The electrician and his wife kept saying, “E-sai [...]

We wanted to find out how Taiwanese folk religion actually worked in people’s lives.

Audrey (an OMF missionary) sat next to Grandma at her betel nut stand in Taipei’s red-light district. Audrey was there to tell Grandma a Bible story about how God created the heavens and the earth. Jen, Grandma’s daughter-in-law ,  put aside her work of sorting through trash for recycling and sat down to listen. Audrey asked the [...]

–September 2018– As a new worker who moved to Taiwan a little over a year ago, there are many things I had to learn to adjust to: weather, language, food, transportation, lifestyle, and culture among other things. Some of these changes were easy to adjust to; others may take years. Spending a couple of years […]

  –August 2018– “I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” We were singing this song on an April Sunday morning with the mountains surrounding us. The Sanhe church celebrated its first outdoor Sunday service followed by […]

‘Mum, I’m in hospital’. When I heard these words from my son, my heart sank. All sorts of scenarios raced through my mind until he continued. ‘I ate a pork bun at the university café and started feeling sick. I got so sick and dehydrated I decided to go to the hospital’. I found out [...]

Many of us are familiar with the Chinese red lanterns, whether through photos, movies, or seeing it with our own eyes.  But, have you ever wondered why they are there?  Is it just for aesthetics sake?  We can be captivated by the beauty of these lanterns, especially as they light up the night sky, but [...]

Grandma Lien, who lives opposite the OMF-run Hope Centre in Wanhua, Taipei, was baptised there recently. It was a significant step in demonstrating her commitment to following Jesus, but there were many steps that led to her decision. Grandma Lien first came to the Hope Centre in May 2016 desperate to find someone who could [...]

God walks with us faithfully, leading us on but also walking alongside us. He calls us to do the same. In 2006 OMF worker Tera van Twillert met Fiona. Tera was just starting OMF's Pearl Family Garden ministry to marginalised and at-risk women in Taipei, Taiwan when they met. God was in that meeting. One [...]

In Taiwan, relationships are honored and valued.  Family relationship is especially important and yet there are so many people whose greatest source of pain comes from the brokenness of it.  Here are the stories of a few people we’ve come to know. Jack’s mom left the family when he was young.  He lived with his [...]

“How did you find this place?” is what everyone who comes to our home for the first time asks but what they really mean is, “Why in the world are you living here?” By Taiwanese standards, it is not convenient; there are no 7-11s, markets or food stalls. Our neighbors are farmers, painters, garage door [...]

The phone rang and it was a local school principal. “There’s been an incident. Hurry. Go do something!” My wife and I rushed out on our motorbikes and found our church member and her daughter on the side of the street, crying next to their suitcases. They were about to flee back to China to [...]

Mr. and Mrs. Lin (林) had lived in Qiaotou for about 30 years before we were introduced to them by a mutual friend. They sold fruit in the market for many years before opening a small restaurant. As we got to know them they were very open to hearing testimonies of God working in our [...]

My first Christmas season in Taiwan was a difficult experience. Christmas is not a holiday in Taiwan, so most aspects of life remain the same. I remember looking everywhere to find a glimpse of the Christmas I was used to. Nothing felt the same. I was used to seeing lights everywhere, so Taiwan just felt [...]

After all these years in Taiwan, it is as emotional to get ready for retirement as it was 40 years ago to leave Switzerland… perhaps even more! When you are young you have energy and are more adventurous. It is so good to know that the Lord does not change and helps either way! Looking [...]

Do you know the best place to find people? Two words: park. Actually, it’s two words in Chinese, “gong yuan”. Since we don’t have a park nearby, we go to the sports field at the nearby elementary school when school is not in session, because they’re like parks and that’s where the people are. People [...]

May 2018--Mr. Tu's business is selling joss paper. Joss paper is what is burned in ancestor worship, folk religion, and taoism. Almost every non-Christian Taiwanese person we know does or has burned joss paper on a regular basis. A neighbor down the road from us is a sculptor. Every day we walk by his home [...]

Not long after arriving in Taiwan for our first term I discovered I had High blood sugar problems. Our doctor urged me to change my diet and start exercising to keep my body healthy. So I started to cycle. Through cycling I realized how immensely beautiful Taiwan was and that was only the beginning. The [...]

Mission work is necessarily creative and can be as diverse as donning a Santa outfit, or decorating cookies.

Morrison Academy supports OMF missionaries across Taiwan by providing an education for their children. In order to keep young families on the OMF Taiwan team working in the unreached area of Chiayi county, Zhongpu, Morrison Academy is looking to start a new satellite school in the area. They are looking for qualified teachers who are [...]

I was born in Taiwan and moved to Hong Kong at the age of 12. When I was 16 I went forward at an event to accept Jesus, but I did not take faith seriously until I turned 28. After that I went to seminary and got my master’s degree in theological studies. I moved [...]

August 2017–   In Luke 10, Jesus instructs the 72 trainees to look for ‘households of peace’. That is, people, like Cornelius in Acts 10, who are God-prepared for the good news and ready to invite you into their networks. We’ve been looking and praying for these kind of people for eight years. Many times we’ve […]

“We are beginning to see more and more short-term workers come from East Asia.”

July 2017– 大衛很早就結婚了，有兩個孩子，一個大學四年級，一個小學三年級。年輕時因為接觸到毒品，足足有9年的時間一團混亂，賠了健康，也賠掉家人。直到他30歲時在晨曦會福音戒毒中心信了耶穌，把毒戒了，人生才重新開始。因此特別了解吸毒者的軟弱，和神拯救的大能。戒毒之路不易走，福音中心裡就有許多失敗的例子。但他痛定思痛，下定決心。 大衛年輕時混黑道，是個逞兇鬥狠的壞孩子。民國89年，在同伴慫恿下，好奇地吸了一口安非他命。沒想到就那一口，開啟了他人生的煉獄大門。吸毒會改變一個人的性格，變得暴躁、衝動，又自卑。從此，他天天流連賭場和卡拉OK，惶惶不可終日。 大衛染上毒癮後內心其實很孤獨、羞愧，但在人前又要裝出兇狠的樣子，因此最後罹患精神分裂症、憂鬱症、被害妄想症，整個身心靈都被破壞殆盡，連道上的兄弟都不再跟他往來。太太曾陪他努力了3年，最後受不了折磨，還是跟他離婚了。 沒想到的是，一場和死亡擦身而過的車禍，竟成為大衛生命的轉折點。那場車禍讓他頸椎骨折，差點連命都沒了。就在那段恢復期，他爸載他到屏東的慕恩之家戒毒所。那是他第一次接觸到主耶穌的福音，老師教導他如何靠著信仰的力量克服毒癮。他發現這是他唯一的路，所以出來後又去報名晨曦會。他決心戒斷毒癮。 大衛接受了福音，並在晨曦會成功戒毒出來後，開始了第二個人生。他決定餘生來回報上帝的恩情。 上帝真的很愛大衛，過去的日子就像聖經中浪子回頭的故事。他就像那個浪子，上帝不僅接納他，讓他找回自己，也讓他找到回家的路。 過去大衛一個禮拜回家兩天，只活在自己的毒品世界，太太看不起他，他也對她暴力相向，最後只能離婚。戒毒成功後的他，最渴望的便是與妻女破鏡重圓，補償他的虧欠。遺憾的是傷害太深，信任實難重建。 3年的努力，前妻無動於衷。大衛告訴自己，或許是時候該放下了，但就在那一刻，他們的關係出現了奇妙的轉機。那一次他鼓起勇氣對她說：「既然妳對我想努力挽回婚姻不為所動，我們就做好朋友吧!我也決定要去唸神學院。」講完後的那個月他真的很痛苦，躲起來沉澱自己。 看大衛不再強迫，前妻反而好奇起來，覺得他這個人的態度轉變了非常多。幾週後，她打電話來：「不然這樣，我們再交往看看。」接到這通電話，他開心到無法形容！於是，他和前妻又交往了3年的時間。2015年在兩百多位親友見證下，兩人再次走上紅毯。 證婚的牧師說，從來沒有主持過一場婚禮，台下每個人都在哭的。面對不可能的事化為可能，他們離婚5年多又再結婚。一個受虐的女性還願意回到丈夫身邊，唯一的原因，就是上帝的力量。祂的愛，讓他們一起找到回家的路。 上帝的愛，能讓每顆迷路的心再次被愛，並找到回家的路。大衛找到這路，也正走在這條路上。希望許多曾經跟他一樣迷路的人，也能找到這條回家路，被愛也能愛人。

“It only took a little time spent with the shop workers to see the true value of OMF’s ministry.”

“Together, they were able to spend time investing in the students and their families.”

“My heart desired to serve Him, but God didn’t call me to the field immediately.”

If you met Pastor David 10 years ago, you’d have struggled to recognise him. He shares: ‘I used to be a gang member.  In fact, I used drugs in the past, too.  But Jesus changed me in the rehab centre.  So, in the future I want to serve in a rehab centre too.’ In 2000, [...]

Sally owns the ‘Wine Bottle’, a successful high-end wine store. She’s a member of our shop workers church and has been a believer for about 12 years. She loves Jesus and the main impression you get on meeting her is that she wants others to know him too. She is constantly inviting people to church [...]

Pei-lun and her family were brought to our ministry centre, Christ Centre through English Corner conversation classes. OMF workers Wayne and Angela had visited her family and tried to keep in contact with her husband, Mr. Wu. But because Mr. Wu is a policeman who is seldom at home, it’s difficult to meet him. God [...]

‘Tian Gong, Heavenly Grandfather, please help me! If you save my marriage I will trust and obey you!’  Su cried out desperately to a god she only knew by this name.  She was running away from home. She had tried to give up her struggle for a good marriage and to cultivate her character according [...]

Sloth is an 8th grader who attends the youth group in Puxin. He is quiet around his classmates but, surprisingly, at youth group he’s the first to answer questions. Sloth loves to stay at the end for games with the other students, but the missionaries urge him to go home as soon as the youth [...]

‘As I joined the procession for Matsu, the goddess of the sea, I knew this was the year I would receive the greatest blessings.’ Chang is a pleasant man in his thirties who works in a bookstore. He has taken part in Matsu processions for several years encouraged by his mother. During Matsu’s birthday each [...]

Pei-lun and her family were brought to our ministry centre, Christ Centre through English Corner conversation classes. OMF workers Wayne and Angela had visited her family and tried to keep in contact with her husband, Mr. Wu. But because Mr. Wu is a policeman who is seldom at home, it’s difficult to meet him. God [...]

Sally owns the ‘Wine Bottle’, a successful high-end wine store. She’s a member of our shop workers church and has been a believer for about 12 years. She loves Jesus and the main impression you get on meeting her is that she wants others to know him too. She is constantly inviting people to church [...]

As Taiwanese women start receiving a better education than in the past, many are choosing their career over marriage. Taiwanese men are finding it harder and harder to find Taiwanese wives and are increasingly starting to marry overseas brides. Currently in Taiwan there are over 80,000 Vietnamese brides. Mr. Gao (pronounced “gow”) owns a small [...]

A-Beng has a reputation of being a good man. Perhaps this is because he and his wife take care of a severely disabled little girl whose mother died in childbirth. They care for this child as if she were their own. One day, the little girl was hospitalized. The doctor said she had little chance [...]

When she was a young student, Pay-San felt that her life was empty. In desperation she went to a fortune teller. The man was famous and had a reputation for being very accurate, so she had to queue for a long time. Surprisingly he told Pay-San to read the Bible. She did, and became a [...]

Mrs. Fan worked 12 hours a day, 7 days a week developing photos. How could she ever hear the gospel if she was too busy and tired to come to any church activity? Mrs. Fan needed someone to go to her and not just to be invited to come and hear. Sharing with Mrs. Fan [...]

June 2017– Working with the Campus Evangelical Fellowship (CEF) of Taiwan these past 25 years among high school students, I could say at least 70% of them come from a working class background.  Take for example, Bwo Jen.  Her father is a rubbish truck collector for Tainan City Council. Seven years ago, at our evangelistic […]

May 2017– Shu Ling is a local Christian woman who volunteers with our ministry.  For many years she had been burdened to reach out to the youth in our community.  When a short-term team from the McCracken’s church in the USA came to serve in Taiping in the Summer of 2013, Shu Ling’s vision for […]

 April 2017– Nestled in a row of shops that include a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, laundromat, motorcycle repair shop and nail salon is the Wanhua Hope Centre. Team leaders, Veronika Rieben and Margret Zingg, have spent many years working in this area, running an after-school program in the elementary school and doing outreach in the parks. In […]

March 2017–We are hosts at the Oasis Missionary Retreat Center in the southern part of Taiwan. Our mission is to provide a relaxing place for other missionaries to rest, refresh, pray, and to have good food. Judy says: We hit the wall. We have come to realize that we are physically incapable of running the […]

Do we still need missionaries in Taiwan? As a Taiwanese pastor, these are the things I have observed and learned from the missionaries in my life. omf.org/asia/taiwan/ Music: Doctor Turtle - Which That Is This

A story of how the local church grows when missionaries disciple local believers. Hear Kaiyuan's story of how he became the pastor of Taipei's Shopworkers' Gospel Church (a ministry initiated by Elisabeth Weinmann, an OMF missionary). omf.org/asia/taiwan/ Music: Scott Holmes - Green Fields

臺灣不是有很多基督徒嗎？爲何還需要宣教士？ 凱元的經驗讓我們停一停，想一想。 omf.org.tw 音樂: Doctor Turtle - Which That Is This (This is 'Partnering in the Unfinished Task: Those Who Have Left Their Mark On Me' with Traditional Chinese Subtitles)

他怎麼成為服務業福音教會的傳道人？ 這是凱元的故事。 omf.org.tw 音樂: Scott Holmes - Green Fields (This is 'Partnering in the Unfinished Task: From Japanese Chef to Pastor' with Traditional Chinese Subtitles)

January 26, 2015–(from the Pearl Family Garden) She came to our Christmas party because someone had given her an invitation card. I thought she was mute because she didn’t speak, only nodding or shaking her head when I handed out the food. When Huang Jie called to follow up on new contacts, she asked about […]

April 2, 2015–This Sunday we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection from the dead! This year it is also the day Chinese people remember and worship their dead ancestors. A sad juxtaposition. Ah Li brushed away a lock of hair as she looked up from sweeping. It was hot, hard work and the sun beat down on her […]

April 17, 2015–“You’re different to my other Christian friends” said the Tea Lady. Really, I thought, I didn’t realize she knew any other Christians; that’s great. She continued, “When my Christian friend shares the Gospel with me, she begins with her own story – how she had a problem, then how God helped her. But […]

April 23, 2015 –Though our Zhong-pu San-he team generally reaches out to young families, last night we baptized a woman in her 60s. Here is the testimony she shared: The whole process of my getting acquainted Thomas and Jennifer must have been arranged by Jesus. Soon after my daughter Snow moved to Zhong-Pu, she got […]

May 13, 2015– I first met Z H, a young man in our community, several years ago. Since that time, I have often had small, casual conversations with him. Recently, when another person whom I wanted to talk with was not at his store, I saw Zhi Han sitting near the shop where he works. […]

Felix doesn’t know a stranger. On a WanHua Bible church outing to the mountains he would stop at every group of people we passed to share a joke or start a conversation. On the way home we were crowded into a mass transit car, squashed between people, but this did not stop him. A group […]

August 2015– It was getting on to suppertime, and our stomachs were growling. On the way home we wanted to buy our favorite French bread from a local shop that sold Vietnamese food. We had often chatted with the owner, Mr. Tan, who loved to talk. This time we didn’t want to talk – it […]

November 1, 2015– “Jesus, I don’t know if you are real or not, but here is my address. I’ll give you a week to come where I sleep and tell the god I have already offered myself to to let me leave him and worship You.” So began probably the most bizarre prayer I have […]

March 22, 2015– After coming to Taiwan, what often touches me is running into missionaries. I don’t mean just OMF Int’l missionaries, but other missionaries as well. They are sent by YWAM, Christian & Missionary Alliance, International Mission Board & others. Many of them are from the U.S., and that never ceases to amaze me […]

October 31, 2016– BY comes to the Hope Centre in a wheelchair pushed by his mother. She’s only 50 but looks much older. He’s pleased to play games with us and eat snacks. But sometimes, he would twist his body, beat his head and moan loudly. His speech is mostly understandable. OMF missionary Margret Zingg […]

February 2017– “I’ll make a contract with you,” Yong I, one of our new believers said. “If you are to keep worshipping your idols in our shop, then you have to come along to church with me each week.” Kevin, her husband agreed and he’s been coming along ever since, about three months now. Kevin […]

January 2017-- This is a tale of two Taiwanese men. They have a lot in common. Both are named Mr. Lee. Both are security guards who wish they weren’t.  They wear the same light blue uniforms and work twelve hour shifts, six days a week, only to live from paycheck to paycheck. When it comes [...]

December 2016– ‘Do you think we should consider converting to Christianity?’  Mrs. Tung asked her daughter.  Mrs. Tung was a  retired farmer and factory worker and a long time worshipper of the goddess of mercy, Guan yin.  After a number of ‘chance’ encounters with local Christians and OMF missionaries, this was the big question on […]

In February 2011, the Taiwan field leader Phil asked me, ‘Tera, have you ever thought of starting a similar ministry to sex trade workers, like the Pearl Family Garden, in another city?’ My immediate response was, ‘No! There are still many ladies in Wanhua that we haven’t reached.’ But the challenge of that question kept coming [...]

A personal experience of a short term mission trip in Taiwan told through sights and sound. omf.org/taiwan

Ever wondered what is it like for a missionary to host a short term mission trip? omf.org/taiwan Music: Blank Kytt - Jangle

October 2016–The Pearl Family Garden is a ministry to older women in the red-light district of Wanhua, Taipei. Many of these women have suffered trauma because of sexual abuse, domestic violence, broken marriages, bad choices (whether those of their own or others’), idol worship, poverty … not to mention the daily grind that characterizes much […]

October 2016–During Chinese New Year, Taiwan experienced a deadly earthquake with hundreds of casualties. All sorts of aid poured into the country. Taipei 101, the tallest building in Taiwan, put on a lighting display to pay tribute to the earthquake victims. “May the heavens bless Taiwan” was the most common phrase that was used in […]

September 2016–Kevin is the pastor of the Taipei Shopworkers Church. He heads up a ministry that reaches a large segment of the population that is overlooked by many traditional churches. Service industry personnel work long hours, including on Sundays. Many have limited education and they often come from broken marriages and dysfunctional families. Kevin himself […]

For some of us, rain is not just a little bit of inconvenience.

August 2016–   One powerful blessing of being on the mission field is that it helps us to hone in on what really matters, and there’s a sense of freedom that comes with that.  Many things that used to matter much have become irrelevant in our lives & what we are trying to do.  Now […]

July 2016– “Your goal is to help the women to leave the trade, isn’t it?”  This is a common remark when people know that I am reaching out to women working in Taipei’s red light district.  Yet there is no simple answer to this question.   As a member of the Pearl Family Garden team, […]

June 2016– Our home in Qiaotou has three floors but we live on the first and second floors.  The third floor has a small room that we use for storage and has roof access.  For most Taiwanese this room is for the family’s idols.  From our roof at night, you can see the glow of […]

May 2016– An 8th grade student looked like a sloth so his classmates gave him the nickname, “Sloth”.  Along with few other students, Sloth comes to our Saturday Champions Youth Group. He is quiet when among his classmates but to our surprise, Sloth always shares openly and is the first one to answer the Bible […]

April 2016–It was our first English Club at the new gospel center, so we (the teachers) introduced ourselves and where we came from. Upon discovering that I was from the United States, one of the boys came up to me after class and asked, “Teacher, are you really from America?” “Yes I am! I was […]

March 2016--Taiwan is an island where we see a lot of rain, especially in the typhoon season, because the typhoon always bring lots of rain. To most people, rain may just be a cause for a little regret or inconvenience. They can maintain their daily life activities, such as work or shopping. However, for the [...]

A local church partners with our church planting team in Zhongpu, Chiayi. Watch to find out about the dynamics and fruits of the ongoing work. omf.org/taiwan Videography and Editing by Jonathan Tan

“With globalisation the question of how to disciple in such a short time begins to appear.”

January 2016–   In August this year, we started working with the Taiping Team and our local church. During one Sunday service, our church officially handed over the responsibility of the youth work to us. However, during that same service, they also said goodbye to the few young people who had made up the youth […]

December 2015– God has been leading Wanhua Hope Team on a fascinating and exciting journey. Over the years we have tried to partner with different churches and organisations. But things have never really worked out until Bread of Life church came and we were able to combine our outreaches in the Fumin area. Through God’s […]

November 2015–A couple of summers ago, I was with some fellow OMF colleagues at a water park here in Taiwan. I was walking with three other guys, all Caucasian men. As we walked along people would call out to them ‘Hello’ in English and wave. A fairly normal experience for them; rather amusing for me. […]

臺灣擁有世界上最大的經濟體之一。它是在亞洲中其中一個富有的地方，因此許多臺灣公民享有良好的生活標準。然而，超過三分之二的臺灣人屬於基層，他們有著獨特文化和思維方式，同社會其他人士有所不同。儘管教會在臺灣的中產階級穩定增長，但基層中只有半個百分點的人宣稱自己信耶穌，而他們就是海外基督使團服侍的對象。 我們的同工已經開始用創意的方式和他們分享上帝的愛與話語，在基層社區開福音的門。我們的主要目標是在他們的日常環境中用他們可以很容易地理解的方法與他們相處。大多數臺灣基層工作時間長，週末也要工作。尋找時間去探索基督教對他們來說是不切實際的，所以我們的團隊會定期走上街頭、公園和市場，建立關係，並分享我們的信仰。給初信者或慕道者的查經班往往定於深夜輪班結束的時候。由於許多臺灣基層接受有限的教育，他們往往對閱讀感到困難。我們的同工使用的口傳的方式，如講聖經故事，配上圖片。我們提供任何的書籍都是簡單、清楚的，就像是迷你聖經，或圖文並茂的單張。 提供實際援助是加強與基層社區鏈接的另一種方式。我們的一些有醫學或輔導背景的同工以義工形式，用專長服侍他們。其他同工亦陪他們到醫院預約、法庭聆訊，或協助有校園問題、行為問題和人際關係問題的家庭。儘管有一些挑戰和挫折，這些具創意和多樣化事工已經經過多年的演化與成長，現在我們相信上帝正帶領著我們與臺灣的基督徒和教會分享更多這些事工。我們這種建立合作夥伴關係的工作還沒有結束。我們迫切需要更多的人。請禱告求問上帝是否把臺灣基層的負擔放在您心。我們有很多機會發展現有事工，但我們也希望擴展到新的地區。上帝是否呼召您向目前未得之基層開始具創意的事工？譬如那些在緊急救援服務的人士、農民，或者殘疾人仕？又或許您可以開始一個事工，從而去接觸那些想要探索臺灣戶外活動的人。無論上帝如何帶領您，請繼續為臺灣基層與海外基督使團的事工禱告。欲了解更多信息，或討論服侍機會，請查詢我們的網站。 (This is 'Creative Working Ministry in Taiwan' in Cantonese with Traditional Chinese Subtitles)

Read part 1. Mr. Chen is an elderly homeless man who had offered himself to an idol when he was very young, and the spirit behind it had controlled his thoughts and actions ever since. Three weeks ago he came to our church, brought by a Christian social worker. Mr. Chen saw Jesus and got [...]

Jesus, I don't know if you are real or not, but here is my address. I'll give you a week to come where I sleep and tell the god I have already offered myself to to let me leave him and worship You.” So began probably the most bizarre prayer I have ever heard. Mr. [...]

  October 2015 — In 2002 OMF decided, to focus their resources on ministry to working class and marginalized peoples, as these groups remain largely unreached by the gospel. This year we reviewed our Five Year Strategic Plan. As we still face the unfinished task of making Christ known to the Working Class people, we […]

September 2015 — It was hot, sticky, midday in Taipei. Wenting stood at the counter of the small restaurant which belongs to the “Shopworkers Church” in Taipei and accepted the orders for food boxes. The Single Mums, for whom the Restaurant procures jobs, had already prepared a lot of varied dishes. Wenting shouted into the […]

August 2015 — Most of the people we meet in Donggang have no intention of ever following Jesus. However, through friendship they are often willing to listen to stories. The Bonsai seller met Linda because her bus stop is outside his shop. He knew Linda liked to share Bible stories with locals and as they […]

July 2015 — My wife and I are involved in what are termed ‘support roles’ on the Taiwan field. Support roles, whether on the field, in sending countries or at the International Centre in Singapore, are integral to provide our OMF members the opportunity to focus on their direct ministries to the unreached people of […]

June 2015 —  No matter how old you are, whether you are literate or not, or what you have ever done that is offensive to God, because of our heavenly Father’s compassion He is willing to give people the opportunity to be saved. Granny May is 92 this year. May is a kind, hard-working country […]

Seeing the need for the gospel in the rural areas of Taiwan, my husband and I moved out to the countryside in Chiayi County to begin church planting in 2010. When we first moved in to our village of over 1000 households, surrounded by farm fields and factories, people were suspicious of us. Why were [...]

In order to farewell me into my retirement, last Saturday 7th March, the Christian Fellowship at Jung Hsing University held a reunion of students from the last 25 years. For me it was a very happy occasion, seeing how God is using so many of them, in their churches, work, families, and even in mission. […]

“Church planting is easy!” proclaimed a Taiwanese church planting co-worker, “You just open your heart; open your door; and open your refrigerator!” This co-worker is now a key leader in the Hengchun Bible Church, a house church started in 2002. OMF missionaries are at present involved in nine church planting efforts around the island.  Each […]

A year and a half ago I moved to Taiping and joined ministry with the Taiping team, alongside taking on the role of New Workers Supervisor. One of my regular ministry commitments has been joining with other Taiping team members in helping at a weekly Friday Youth Night. During the time with the youth we […]

Among Taiwan's working class, only .5 per cent follow Christ. Join us as we partner with Taiwan's church to reach this people group. (This is 'Creative Working Class Ministry in Taiwan' with Dutch Subtitles)

Among Taiwan's working class, only .5 per cent follow Christ. Join us as we partner with Taiwan's church to reach this people group. (This is 'Creative Working Class Ministry in Taiwan' with Traditional Chinese Subtitles)

‘I grew up in a Christian home in the South Taiwan, and studied in China Evangelical Seminary and married Shu-Hua during my second year. One day I saw a homeless man looking through a rubbish bin for food in front of a large church in Taipei and I wondered, “Are there any churches who welcome […]

(This is 'Short Term Missions is…' with Traditional Chinese Subtitles)

The spring of 2012 found Ruth and I preparing for home assignment in Canada and praying about where we would move after returning to Taiwan. Several communities seemed good possibilities. Then one day a friend told us they had an empty house in Qiaotou (one of the places we were considering), and offered it to us to […]

December 2014 My language teacher has been teaching Mandarin to foreigners for about 10 years. She has had many missionary students and heard many things from the Bible, but she has yet to believe in Jesus. When I said I wanted to learn to tell Bible stories so that I could share them with friends […]

(This is 'The Stranger' in Taiwanese with Traditional Chinese Subtitles)

November 2014   It happened in our first week living in Luman village. Four locals were in our house – arguing with each other. They are using terms that we have never learnt, at a speed that our ears could not follow. The four of them were two married couples. The Electrician and his wife […]

This is a TV interview in Chinese with Tera van Twillert from Holland about her family background and hardships, and how these prepared her for over 20 years of ministry in Taiwan to the homeless and to women in prostitution.

01/11/2011 3:27 pm The goal of OMF Taiwan is to bring the gospel into the most unreached segments of society, to establish healthy, multiplying churches amongst these people. The starting point of OMF’s ministries is building bridges into these mostly working class communities to create opportunities to share the gospel. This article looks at some […]

11/02/2007 6:00 am Amy Gibson  How Will We Reach the Working Class People of Taiwan? This question in itself belies a common misconception when talking about reaching the grassroots people with the gospel. By asking “how” we are really asking, what programs, what structures, etc. would be most effective in reaching them? And yet this does […]

“We need a youth leader for our church plant. We don't have anyone available, and we wanted to know if David would be interested.” asked Isabelle Wen, the pastor's wife. I was very interested indeed! Working with a brand new group of mostly non-Christian youth is exciting. My OMF team leader approved the motion, and [...]

September 2014   Amy Lin is a 56 year old married woman. Both of her legs are paralyzed because of polio, so she needs to use wheelchair to move around. She tries really hard to be independent, and tries not to care about other people’s opinions. However, she is still hurt by various rude questions […]

August 2014   After our family came back from our 10 month home assignment last October, we were eager to get back into ministry. Even though we were able to reconnect with our old local friends from last term, we really wanted an outlet to meet new people. Baking has always been something that we […]

July 2014   Being a full time mother is not an easy job, especially in Taiwan where couples often live with their in-laws. Young mothers not only need to care for their children, husband, and elderly in-laws but also need to fulfil the role of a good “xifu” (daughter-in-law), which includes worshipping the ancestors. Women […]

June 2014   We prayed to God to provide a friend. Then I met Ah Hui and we became good friends. She was my team leader’s contact from the market. Ah Hui has heard and read a lot of Bible stories. Yet she has refused to become a Christian. Recently, she has been coming to […]

May 2014   — A Foreign Bride’s Story – In our first term of service, we got to know Mei and her family. Mei came from China, married a working class man, and believed and was baptised during her first year in Taiwan. After she settled, her husband went to China for work and left […]

April 2014   When a woman thinks about leaving the sex trade, her main consideration is, “Will I have enough money? How will I pay my debts? Do I have the skills to find a job? Am I too old to make a switch?” Ah Hwa used to work as a sewing machine operator in […]

March 2014 Life in the countryside is not very exciting. Most teens come from broken homes or are living with their grandparents because the parents are divorced or not around any more. Some of the boys are being trained in the temple to join the “Eight Generals” guardian group. Some just imitate the dance of […]

February 2014 Amazing Grace, but ……… ‘I know that I am a sinner. I would like to receive Jesus into my heart. I want to follow him. I would like my sins to be washed away.’ Students frequently write these kinds of comments on their worksheets. Every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month a […]

January 2014 When we first moved to Zhongpu in 2010, we were—very literally—church planting from scratch. It took no effort on our part to find people who were unreached. Most had never heard of Jesus or Christianity. “Oh, I know all about you Christians!” said one of the few men we met who confidently professed […]

The new boys look blank, not knowing what’s going to happen. They sit at the back and don’t yet have friends. They listen intently, ears raised, to this foreigner asking them questions. Some look confused and almost lost in a sea of faces. This is their new home for at least 18 months, possibly 3 […]

“What has the Lord been doing with A-beng? It’s almost like he’s a totally different person!” These last few weeks, my husband, Seann, and I have been marveling at the changes seen in our friend A-beng. It’s obvious that the Lord has gotten hold of him and is doing great things in his life and […]

Have you ever groaned inwardly when the phone rings yet again, and considered just ignoring it, or just sat down to enjoy some rest when the doorbell rings, and you consider pretending you are not at home. Some people are a joy to be with especially if you are an extrovert and are energised by […]

For the last seven years I have been in mission leadership, serving as our OMF Taiwan Field Director. I took on the role with great trepidation, not wanting to exchange “front-line” ministry to Taiwanese people for an administrative role. However, I have learned that leadership is not primarily about being a manager or administrator, it […]

Shortly after moving to Taiping, my family was looking for something fun to do on a weeknight. We found the answer by going to the local Wednesday night market. Before we knew it, eating, playing, and shopping at the night market became an almost weekly event. We began to get to know some of the […]

We want our ministry meetings to be occasions in which Taiwanese working class people can come and hear the gospel in a comfortable environment. Communicating to the working class needs to be the main priority. If they do not feel at ease in the environment provided, they won’t come, and inevitably won’t hear the message. […]

Although a young student knows what might happen, she still decides to get baptized. And, sure enough, her father disowns her! A young mother wonders how to break her decision to follow Christ to her mother-in-law, even though her husband accepts her faith. A mother hears that her daughter has become a Christian and fears […]

“I’m so tired,” Tera said. She was close to tears. It was the first time I had seen our team leader so dejected and at the end of her tether. Tera had visited Jen, a single mother who’s been struggling to find work since she left Wanhua 3 years ago. Jen told Tera that she […]

“Say NO to Suicide” was the topic of our teaching this week in a Junior High School. As I prepared for the class I was quite nervous and worried. Will it create more curiosity, will it help the students to face their life issues? The class went extremely well. “Thank you, teacher. Now I know […]

(This is 'The Stranger' in Cantonese with Traditional Chinese Subtitles)

In February 2011, the Taiwan field leader Phil asked me, ‘Tera, have you ever thought of starting a similar ministry to sex trade workers, like the Pearl Family Garden, in another city?’ My immediate response was, ‘No!’ There are still many ladies in Wanhua that we haven’t reached. But the challenge of that question kept […]

(This is 'Pearl Family Garden' with Spanish Subtitles)

(This is 'Schooling in Taiwan with Traditional Chinese Subtitles)

(This is 'The Stranger' in Chinese with Traditional Chinese Subtitles)

Among Taiwan's working class, only .5 per cent follow Christ. Join us as we partner with Taiwan's church to reach this people group. (This is 'Creative Working Class Ministry in Taiwan' with Spanish Subtitles)

(This is 'The Stranger' in English with Spanish Subtitles)

(This is 'The Stranger' in German)

(This is 'Creative Working Class Ministry in Taiwan' in German)

Learn - the joys and challenges that a new cross-cultural worker faces. Music by Simon Mueller and Tze-Hung Seeto Produced by OMF Taiwan and SeetoPhotography omf.org/taiwan seetophotography.co.uk (This is 'LEARN - Taiwan' with Spanish Subtitles)

OMF & World Team missionaries have planted a house church in Taiping, a working class town on the southern edge of Taichung City, central Taiwan. Although there are signs of fruit the challenges are great in this town where folk religion has a powerful hold on the hearts of people. (This is ‘Church Planting in [...]

Anja maakte een Serve Asia-zendingsreis naar Taiwan. Serve Asia is de naam van het short term-programma (1 maand tot 1 jaar) van OMF. Wil jij ontdekken of God jou roept voor zending, dan maken wij voor jou een programma op maat. Via Serve Asia ervaar jij echt wat het is om te leven als zendingswerker [...]

Prayer - our first responsibility and the greatest need in world mission. Music: 'The Tears of Jesus' by Suzanne Z Shu [© 2012 Overseas Radio & Television Inc.] Produced by OMF Taiwan and SeetoPhotography omf.org/taiwan seetophotography.co.uk (This is 'Pray - Taiwan' with Dutch Subtitles)

OMF & World Team missionaries have planted a house church in Taiping, a working class town on the southern edge of Taichung City, central Taiwan. Although there are signs of fruit the challenges are great in this town where folk religion has a powerful hold on the hearts of people. (This is 'Church Planting in [...]

Who among the gods can be trusted? I don't know such a god. This is a beautifully shot short film tells a powerful story, typical of a working class Taiwanese woman’s search for reality and truth in a spiritually confusing world.

We’d see him in our lane walking by nearly every day, the same floral beach shorts and tee shirt and the same happy smile. We’d say Ni hao and so would he, but that was about as far as it would go. Then we started seeing him walking in the park when we also went, […]

The first time I met the three Lai girls was four years ago. They were about 3, 4 and 6 years old and came with their father, Mr.Lai, to a park carnival which we held in the market area. With his red-stained betel nut lips the father was obviously right in our target group, the […]

(This is 'PRAY - Taiwan' with Traditional Chinese Subtitles)

(This is 'LEARN - Taiwan' with Traditional Chinese Subtitles)

Who among the gods can be trusted? I don't know such a god. This is a beautifully shot short film tells a powerful story, typical of a working class Taiwanese woman’s search for reality and truth in a spiritually confusing world.

Uitreiken naar vrouwen aan de rand van de samenleving (This is 'Pearl Family Garden' with Dutch Subtitles)

Kat Tang explains what led her to transition from short term mission to long term mission.

Tera van Twillert explains how God led her to found a ministry to women in the sex industry in Taipei.

Among Taiwan's working class, only .5 per cent follow Christ. Join us as we partner with Taiwan's church to reach this people group.

Love - the heart of mission is loving people as Christ loved us. A typical day in the life of one OMF worker in Taiwan. Music by David Jansen Produced by OMF Taiwan and SeetoPhotography omf.org/tw seetophotography.co.uk {{ vc_btn: title=Opportunities+in+Taiwan&style=flat&shape=square&color=danger&size=lg&i_icon_fontawesome=fa+fa-plane&add_icon=true&link=url%3Ahttps%253A%252F%252Fopportunities.omf.org%252Flocations%252FTW%7Ctitle%3AMission%2520opportunities%2520in%2520Taiwan%7Ctarget%3A%2520_blank }} More from Taiwan Chiayi’s biggest night marketOne of the most common recreations in Taiwan [...]

Prayer - our first responsibility and the greatest need in world mission. Music: 'The Tears of Jesus' by Suzanne Z Shu [© 2012 Overseas Radio & Television Inc.] Produced by OMF Taiwan and SeetoPhotography omf.org/taiwan seetophotography.co.uk

Learn - the joys and challenges that a new cross-cultural worker faces. Music by Simon Mueller and Tze-Hung Seeto Produced by OMF Taiwan and SeetoPhotography omf.org/taiwan seetophotography.co.uk

OMF & World Team missionaries have planted a house church in Taiping, a working class town on the southern edge of Taichung City, central Taiwan. Although there are signs of fruit the challenges are great in this town where folk religion has a powerful hold on the hearts of people.

Since 2011 OMF Taiwan has sent a church planting team to Zhongpu, a semi-rural town in southern Taiwan near Chiayi. The population is about 50,000 but less than 0.5% of the people are Christian. Learn about the challenges of this pioneering ministry with Thomas and Jennifer McIntyre.

Wer sind die Menschen der Arbeiterschicht? Wie leben sie? Was sind ihre Kultur, ihre Werte? Können Menschen dieser Schicht Christen werden und Gemeinde leben? Wenn ja, wie sieht dies aus? Die ÜMG in Taiwan versucht seit langer Zeit, auf diese Fragen Antworten zu finden. Lassen Sie sich mit hineinnehmen. (This is 'Ministry to Taiwan's Working [...]

An introduction into the spiritual needs of Taiwan's working class and why OMF has decided to focus ministry on this group of about 15 million people. (2004)